209 making it through church cantatas, dozens that concertos, many organ preludes and fugues. And also 20 children. J.S. Bach to be a really busy man.

You are watching: How many children did bach have

Johann Sebastian Bach, v his wives Maria Barbara (m. 1707–1720) and also Anna Magdalena(m. 1721–1750),fathered 20 children over his lifetime. His an initial was born in 1708 as soon as Bach to be 23, with his critical coming into the human being in 1742, as soon as the composer was 57. Sadly, just ten endured through come adulthood.


The Bachs were always a musical family with a house full of tools – and also Johann Sebastian was constantly keen to compose pieces for his wife, children and the ar they lived in.

Here lock are, in stimulate of their birth. It"s a long list – there"s a most musical talent, countless fascinating stories, and also tragedies for the household as well...

1. Catharina Dorothea Bach (1708 – 1774)

Bach"s very first born child. Composing wasn"t an option for women in those days however Catharina excelled together a singer and often aided her father through his work.


2. Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710 - 1784)

J.S. Bach"s eldest son with his first wife, Maria Barbara. Wilhelm adhered to in his father"s footsteps and also became a composer. J.S. Bach even wrote Wilhelm a graded course of key-board studies, called the Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. Thanks to his intensive musical training, Wilhelm go on to end up being an organist and taught none other than Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, the guy whose name is immortalised in the good Goldberg Variations.

3 & 4. Johann Christoph Bach and Maria Sophia Bach (Born and died in 1713)

J.S. Bach"s third and fourth children, twins, to be born top top 23 February 2022 as soon as Bach to be 28. Johann Christoph lived no much longer than a couple of hours after his birth, and his sister passed away a couple of weeks later, about the 13 march 1713.

*
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Getty

5. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 - 1788)

Arguably the most gifted of J.S. Bach’s offspring, C.P.E. Bach was a extremely original composer that symphonies, keyboard and also choral music. Building on the Baroque training he learned as a boy, he ended up being one the the foremost clavier players in Europe (after examining for a degree in law). His Essay on the True arts of key-board Playing developed him together the leading key-board teacher that the time. He developed a musical bridge in between the Baroque and also Classical eras. “He is the father, we space the children,” Mozart said of C.P.E. Bach.

C.P.E. Bach’s place as court musician come Frederick the great also included the task of providing accompaniment ~ above the key-board for the king’s flute solos. Frederick thought himself to be a much better flautist 보다 he was and often take it liberties through the tempo. At the finish of one royal performance, a happy sycophant exclaimed, “Your Majesty, what rhythm!” C.P.E. Bach is claimed to have muttered under his breath, “What rhythms!”

6. Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach (1715 - 1739)

Johann Gottfried was born ~ above 11 may 2022 and, together was the case with his brothers, walk on to become a professional musician. Unequal them, however, the didn"t have actually the chance to walk to university, and also secretly abandoned his musical job in bespeak to study law. He died at the tender age of 24.

7. Leopold Augustus Bach (1718 - 1719)

Born top top 15 November, Bach"s seventh kid lived for ten quick months, and was hidden on 29 September 1719. His godfather, a prince, additionally named Leopold, employed Bach together Kapellmeister in between 1717 and 1723.

8. Christina Sophia Henrietta (1723 - 1726)

After Bach"s wife Maria Barbara died, the went on come marry Anna Magdalena Wilcke. Their very first daughter to be born in 1723, the exact same year Bach signed a contract to end up being the Thomaskantor in Leipzig, however died 3 years later.

9. Gottfried Heinrich Bach (1724 - 1763)

It"s thought Gottfried was mildly mentally handicapped in part way, signs of which were picked up from an early age. Luckily he had plenty of donate siblings: C.P.E. Bach stated his younger brother verified a "great genius, i m sorry failed to develop".

10. Christian Gottlieb Bach (1725 - 1728)

Another tragically short-lived son, Christian Gottlieb just survived 3 years. He died on 21 September 1728.

11. Elisabeth Juliana Friederica (1726 - 1781)

1726 clues a year the joy and tragedy for the Bach family members – simply two month after Elisabeth to be born, her elder sisters Christiana passed away at the age of three. Elisabeth, however, survived into adulthood, and also went on come marry among her father"s pupils, German organist Johann Christoph Altnikol.

12. Ernestus Andreas Bach (Born and died in 1727)

13. Regina Johanna Bach (1728 - 1733)

14. Christiana Benedicta Louise (Born and died in 1730)

15. Christiana Dorothea Bach (1731 - 1732)

Very tiny is known about these 4 young Bachs who passed away in childhood.

*
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach - Getty

16. Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732 - 1795)

After a duration of tragedy, Bach"s 9th son was born: the confusingly called Johann Christoph Bach, no to be perplexed with Bach"s an initial cousin as soon as removed, Bach"s uncle and Bach"s eldest brother… likewise all called Johann Christoph. Much less confusingly, he"s often referred to together the "Bückeburg Bach", named after a city in lower Saxony whereby he played the harpsichord professionally. Prefer so plenty of of the Bach brothers before him, he to be a prodigious classical composer, that wrote pieces greatly influenced through the fashion for Italian music. He also visited London and also had a couple of works published, but small of his music survives today.

His eldest son, Wilhelm Friedrich ernst Bach (1759 – 1845) was the just grandson the J.S. Bach to gain fame as a composer. He to be music manager to Frederick wilhelm II of Prussia. "Heredity deserve to tend to operation out that ideas," that said.

17. Johann august Abraham Bach (Born and also died in 1733)

Young Johann August just survived someday after his baptism ~ above 5 November.

*
Johann Christian Bach - Getty

18. Johann Christian Bach (1735 - 1782)

Known as the "English Bach", J.C. Bach travelled to Italy and also converted to roman inn Catholicism, before settling in London in the company of Queen Charlotte, therefore his nickname "The London Bach". He came to be a well-known classic composer, and also an influence on Mozart"s concertos. J.C. Composed cantatas, orchestral works, key-board music, operas and also symphonies, i beg your pardon sounded an extremely different in style from his father"s Baroque works. J.S. Bach was currently 50 when J.C. Was born, and also musical layouts of the moment were cultivation increasingly "classical".

See more: Which Word Best Describes Early American Foreign Policy Brainly?

19. Johanna Carolina Bach (1737 - 1781)

20. Regina Susanna Bach (1742 - 1809)

Bach"s 19th and 20th children, both daughters, endured well right into their adulthood, back neither ever married. While small is known around Johanna, Regina to be acquainted through Beethoven; he even asked for proceeds indigenous the premiere that his Symphony No. 3 to it is in donated come her. Regardless of collections being made in honour the her famed father, she died in poverty.